Juniors Allie Johnson, Chase Stevens, Tajvir Singh and senior Sierra Rodriguez were chosen to be a part of a group of high school students from Collin County selected to participate in the Congressional Youth Advisory Council. In this council, students work with Congressman Van Taylor to give insight on teens ideas and concerns in politics and current events.

By taking part in this council, students will discuss public policy, give insight to the youths opinion on current events, interact with federal representatives and learn leadership skills.

“The primary issue is really for us to discuss the youths concerns on policy towards the Congressman,” junior Chase Stevens said. “[We talk about] pretty much all the hot button issues to really just discuss with him kind of see where he and Washington is thinking and how we, the youth in the community, have our opinions on a good majority of issues.” 

These students meet with the council three times each semester to discuss topics such as immigration policy, gun control and the environment.

We have homework assignments that we’re supposed to complete,” junior Allie Johnson said. “We have to go through a couple of assignments, and then have them ready by the next meeting. We get to go to certain meetings, have guest speakers, things like that. It’s really cool.”

In these discussions students represents teens with a variety of opinions and standpoints.

“[Senator Van Taylor] made sure he got different sides of the political parties represented in the council,” Johnson said. “So we have left people, we have right people [and] we have people who are in the middle, but we’re all representing what we find important and how we feel [and how] we should come together to solve those problems.”

Participation in the council gives students the opportunity to build on their interest in politics and lets them gain experience with representing themselves and working with government officials that they can refer to in the future.

 “Connections [are important] because politics is a world where connection is everything, as much as people want it to be [about] who has the best policy, it’s really who you know, what you know, how you’re able to implement it,” Rodriguez said.